{{Orphan|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox academic | name =Russell Tracy | image = | image_size = 230px | caption = | birth_date =1949 | birth_place =The Bronx, New York, US | death_date =April 6, 2026 | education =BS, biology, 1971, LeMoyne College <br> PhD, biochemistry, 1978, Syracuse University | thesis_title =Isolation and characterization of the subunits of cytochrome c oxidase, and their arrangement as determined by immunological probes | thesis_year =1978 | spouse =Paula Tracy | children = | awards = | workplaces =Robert Larner College of Medicine }}
'''Russell Peter Tracy''' was an American epidemiological scientist and pathologist. He was a University Distinguished Professor of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine and Biochemistry at the Robert Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont.
==Early life and education== Tracy was a native of The Bronx, New York, US.<ref name="home">{{cite web |title=Home To The Heights |url=https://www.dolphinsonline.org/s/445/index-1Col.aspx?sid=445&gid=1&pgid=3272 |publisher=Le Moyne |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=Spring 2016}}</ref> He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from LeMoyne College in 1971.<ref name="kri">{{cite web |title=Russell P. Tracy, Ph.D. |url=https://kri.washington.edu/people/russell-p-tracy-ph-d |publisher=Kidney Research Institute |access-date=July 8, 2021}}</ref> During his undergraduate degree, he dropped a genetics course and took a week off from classes in order to focus on the French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.<ref name="home"/> Upon graduating, Tracy considered joining the United States Navy but worked jobs selling Oriental rugs and tending bars before seeing an advertisement for graduate biochemistry work at Syracuse University.<ref name="idea">{{cite web |title=Idea Man |url=http://contentmanager.med.uvm.edu/docs/vm_idea_man/vt-medicine-documents/vm_vol_49_issue_2/vm_idea_man.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |publisher=Vermont Medicine |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=2012}}</ref>
From 1978 to 1983, Tracy served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Mayo Clinic where he evaluated the usefulness of high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in clinical chemistry. As a result, he received the 1984 AACC Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievements by a Young Investigator.<ref name="aacc">{{cite web |title=Russell Tracy: 1984 OUTSTANDING SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS BY A YOUNG INVESTIGATOR |url=https://www.aacc.org/community/merit-awards/hall-of-fame/bios/l-to-s/russell-tracy |publisher=American Association for Clinical Chemistry |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref> By the mid-1980s, Tracy began work in cardiovascular clinical trials but eventually focused on epidemiological science.<ref name="AHA">{{cite web |title=UVM's Russell Tracy honored with American Heart Association 2015 Distinguished Scientist award |url=https://vermontbiz.com/news/2015/november/24/uvm%E2%80%99s-russell-tracy-honored-american-heart-association-2015-distinguished |publisher=Vermont Biz |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=November 24, 2015}}</ref>
==Career== Following his fellowship, Tracy accepted a professorship opportunity at the Robert Larner College of Medicine (UVM) in 1984. In late 1980s, Tracy became known for performing research on adaptive immune system, coagulation and inflammation in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other chronic diseases.<ref name="Nachbur">{{cite web |last1=Nachbur |first1=Jennifer |title=Tracy Honored as University Distinguished Professor |url=http://www.med.uvm.edu/pathology/aboutus/DepartmentNews/2019/04/26/tracy_to_be_honored_as_university_distinguished_professor_at_uvm_commencement |publisher=University of Vermont |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=April 26, 2019}}</ref> While working with the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), Tracy developed a technique to measure C-reactive protein, and applied it to the CHS while also showing that it was a predictor of heart attack risk.<ref name="idea"/> In the late 1990s, Tracy worked alongside Mary Cushman to evaluate and test blood that led to the conclusion that slightly elevated levels of a certain protein could predict cardiovascular disease.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vermonters played part |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81079649/vermonters-played-part/ |access-date=July 8, 2021 |publisher=The Burlington Free Press |date=April 3, 1997|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="McGowan">{{cite web |last1=McGowan |first1=Kat |title=Can We Cure Aging? |url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/can-we-cure-aging |publisher=Discover Magazine |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=December 4, 2007}}</ref> From 2001 until 2009, he served as a senior associate dean for research and academic affairs for the Robert Larner College of Medicine<ref name="idea"/> before being replaced by Ira Bernstein.<ref>{{cite news |title=University of Vermont Dean |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81079829/dean/ |access-date=July 8, 2021 |publisher=The Burlington Free Press |date=April 27, 2009|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Tracy also served on the Fletcher Allen Health Care board of trustees.<ref>{{cite news |title=Three new trustees join Fletcher Allen board |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81079804/three-new-trustees-join-fletcher-allen/ |access-date=July 8, 2021 |publisher=The Burlington Free Press |date=December 15, 2008|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
During his tenure at UVM, Tracy led the Clinical Laboratory for Biochemistry Research at the Larner College of Medicine's Colchester Research Facility.<ref name="Nachbur"/> In 2012, he worked with investigators associated with the Cardiovascular Lifetime Risk Pooling Project to confirm that a person's cardiovascular risk-factor profile at middle age corresponds to lifetime CVD risk.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nachbur |first1=Jennifer |title=Tracy Co-authors NEJM Study on Lifetime Risk for Cardiovascular Disease |url=https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/tracy-co-authors-nejm-study-lifetime-risk-cardiovascular-disease |publisher=University of Vermont |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=February 6, 2012}}</ref> The following year, Tracy also led a study of over 80,000 veterans who were either infected with HIV and uninfected to research their risk of a heart attack.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nachbur |first1=Jennifer |title=Tracy and Colleagues Find Increased Heart Attack Risk in HIV-Infected Individuals |url=https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/tracy-and-colleagues-find-increased-heart-attack-risk-hiv-infected-individuals |publisher=University of Vermont |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=April 25, 2013}}</ref> As a result of his work that has "importantly advanced our understanding of cardiovascular diseases and stroke," he received the 2015 American Heart Association's Distinguished Scientist award.<ref name="AHA"/> He also served two years as interim senior associate dean for research until 2016 when Gordon Jensen was appointed to take his place.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nachbur |first1=Jennifer |title=College Welcomes Jensen, Thanks Tracy, in Senior Research Dean Transition |url=https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/college-welcomes-jensen-thanks-tracy-senior-research-dean-transition |publisher=University of Vermont |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=February 5, 2016}}</ref> In 2019, Tracy was selected as one of three new University of Vermont Distinguished Professors.<ref name="Nachbur"/>
==Personal life== Tracy was married to Paula, a biochemist, and they had two children together.<ref name="idea"/> In 2017, they established a summer program at the Robert Larner College of Medicine for college students interested in attending medical school.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tracy Fellowship: One Family's Generosity Opens Doors for Aspiring Doctors |url=https://www.lemoyne.edu/Values/Our-Stories/Story/StoryId/287 |publisher=University of Vermont |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=June 29, 2017}}</ref> He died on April 6, 2026 from complications of a hip fracture.<ref>{{cite web |title=Obituary: Russell P. Tracy, 1949-2026 |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/life-lines/obituaries/obituary-russell-p-tracy-1949-2026/ |publisher=Seven Days |access-date=April 14, 2026 |date=April 14, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{GoogleScholar|eAwydYIAAAAJ}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tracy, Russell}} Category:Living people Category:1940s births Category:Scientists from the Bronx Category:American biochemists Category:American pathologists Category:LeMoyne–Owen College alumni Category:Syracuse University alumni Category:University of Vermont faculty Category:Year of birth missing (living people)